# TERN

> TERN is an Austin-based startup building IDPS (Independently Derived Positioning System), an AI-powered, software-only alternative to GPS. Instead of relying on satellite signals that can be jammed, spoofed, or blocked by tall buildings and tunnels, TERN's AI reads the sensors already inside vehicles and phones - accelerometers, gyroscopes, speedometers - and matches that motion against existing map data to figure out exactly where you are. Founded by AI engineers and former U.S. special operations personnel, TERN serves automakers, delivery fleets, emergency services, and defense customers who cannot afford to lose their location when the signal drops.

- **Founded:** 2023
- **Headquarters:** Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founders:** Shaun Moore (Co-Founder & CEO), Brett Harrison (Co-Founder & President), Phil Reason (Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer)
- **Team size:** ~15 employees
- **Products:** IDPS (Independently Derived Positioning System), Defense / Assured PNT, Fleet & Automotive Integration
- **Notable:** Named a 2026 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, Winner of the U.S. Army's xTechOverwatch competition, Demonstrated positioning that outperformed GPS in dense urban 'canyon' environments

## Products & services

- **IDPS (Independently Derived Positioning System)** — A patented, AI-powered, software-only positioning system that determines location by interpreting real-time map data and sensor data (accelerometers, gyroscopes, speed) already present in vehicles and smartphones - no satellite signal required. It is the first known positioning technology able to 'cold start,' initializing a starting position with no prior knowledge, triangulation, or external signal.
- **Defense / Assured PNT** — Resilient positioning for contested and GNSS-denied environments, targeting autonomous platforms and military ground operations. Advanced through the U.S. Army's xTechOverwatch program.
- **Fleet & Automotive Integration** — Low-cost navigation layer for automakers, delivery fleets, emergency response, and environmental services that keeps working in tunnels, dense cities, and remote terrain where GPS degrades.

## Achievements

- Named a 2026 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer
- Winner of the U.S. Army's xTechOverwatch competition
- Demonstrated positioning that outperformed GPS in dense urban 'canyon' environments
- Built IDPS as the first known positioning system able to cold-start with no external signal
- Raised $11.9M total across seed and seed-extension rounds

## Latest updates

- **2025-10** — Closed a $7.5M seed extension to scale IDPS across automotive, fleets, emergency response, and defense.
- **2025-10** — Advanced as a winner in the U.S. Army's xTechOverwatch program for autonomous navigation.
- **2025-03** — Former U.S. DOT research leader Diana Furchtgott-Roth joined to advance TERN's GPS alternative; Forbes profiled the technology.
- **2024-06** — TechCrunch covered TERN's low-cost navigation alternative to GPS.
- **2024-02** — Emerged from stealth with a $4.4M seed round.

## Links

- Website: https://www.tern.ai
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tern-ai
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/tern_ai
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TERN-AI-Positioning

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/tern
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-02